Sounding line



June 28, 1927. 1,633,701

E. J.' HAYNES SOUNDING LINE Filed Jan. 18. 1926 Y @n uc nio@ Patented June 28, 1927.

yUNITED. STATES i ELBERT J. HAYNES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

` -SOUNDING LINE.

Application led January 18, 1926.

This invention relates to flexible armored cables, and particularly to flexible armored air` tubes for use as soundingclines and the like. c

It is an object of the invention to provide a flexible cable having a sectional tubular outer armor, and to provide, at suitable spaced points in the length of the cable, for transmitting to a continuous tension mehr ber stresses due to the Weight of the armor or to any other force longitudinally acting on the armor. v

`Another object is to provide a sectional. outer armor for a flexible cable having certain of its sections rigidly secured to a tension member' extending Within the armor, so as to distribute the transmission of stresses to said tension member and avoid the undue accumulation of such stresses.

A further object is to provide an outer C' armor for flexible cables, comprising tubu lar sections and coiled springs, or like cushioning elements, serving to space suitable lengths of said armor, and to cushion stresses arising in such lengths due to the weight thereof, or to other forces.

A still further object is to provide an outer sectional. armor for flexible cables comprising abutments fixed upon the cable at suitable points of its length for receiving longitudinal stresses arising in the armor between such points, and to 'cushion such stresses by coiled springs or the like, pro viding also for a certain longitudinally expansive movement of the'` free sections between said abutments.

These and various other objects the invention attains by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein: n

Figure l is a vieu7 in elevation of a length of the improved armored cable.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of a portion of said cable.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with portions of the outer armor members broken away to show the `interior construction ot the cable. l

Figure fl is a section taken on line 4-41 of Figure 2 showing in detail the provision for rigidly fastening certain sections of the outer armor to the cable.

In these views the reference character l designates an air hose formed of rubber'or other material having a suitable flexibility and imperviousness to air. Said hose is em- Serial No. 82,161.

an inner armor which consists collars 2 alternating with coils 3 wire, preferably of a gradual braced by of metallic of spring pitch.

Upon this inner armor there is helically Wound a tension membert Which may be formed of vvire rope, the strands of Which are acutely pitched so as to effectively take care of tension stresses acting lengi'ihwise of the cable. i

Finally there is applied an outer sectional tubular armor, preferably metallic, the sections of Which have corresponding ends slightly tapered, their other ends being flat, so that the obtuse points 6 of said tapered ends bear against the fiat ends of the next adjacent sections and provide for a limited pivotal movement of the sections about axes transverse to the cable established by said points. The sections 5 loosely engage the tensioning member l and are free to transmit their weight or other stresses to each other, and further may shift rotatively relative to said tensioning member, so as to rotativiely vary the axes established by the points 6. It is undesirable to allow stresses in the sectional armor to accumulate throughout the entire ntendedlength of the cable since the final stress transmitted to the abutment forming member at the free end of the cable may be unduly heavy, particularly when the position of the cable is such as to transmit Weight downwardly from section to section of the outer armor. The present invention, therefore, provides at suitable points in the length of the cable for transmission of accumulated longitudinal stresses from the outer armor to the tension member 4l. Preferably this is accomplished by securing certain of the sections 5 jidly to the member 4l. Thus, as is best seen in Figures 2 and Ll, certain of said sections are interiorly chambered as indicated at 7, surrounding the stranded member 4l. Each of the sections, thus chambered, is formed with a pair of radial. openingsS communicating with the respective ends of the chamber 7. After the chambered sections are in propel` place upon the cable, melted Babbitt metal or the like is poured through one of the openings 8 into the chamber 7 while air escapes through the other of said openings. The Babbitt metal thus fills said chamber, and upon hardening anchors the set-ti on very firmly to the member ll.

It is desirable to provide for a limited ex pansion of each series ot tree sections 5 occurring between an)v two of the lined sections, and to also cushion the stresses actingl from the 'lree sections upon any ixed section. For this purpose there is mounted above each fixed section a coiled spring t). sutlicienthv heavy to carry the weight o the overlying series ot tree sections without undei-goingl more than a slight compression.

ln the use ot 'the described cable, the tixed sections 5 act to transmit the weight ot the free sections (or to transmit any other 'torce acting lengthwise upon said 'tree sections) to the tension member et ot the cable, preventing the accunnidation ot' stresses throughout the entire extended length ot' the cable. The coiled springs Q cushion #uch shocks as are thus transmitted. and `t'urther permit a certain amount ot' expansion in the series ot tree sections extending between an3rtwo iixed sections ot the armor.

lllhen the described construction is employed as a soundinglj line a portion of the cable is 'lirequentl5vv required to drag along the bottoni of any bodyY ot water, in which soundings are being made, and since obstacles encountered on such bottom will at times impart sudden heavy streses to portions ot the outer armor it will be seen thai the cushioning springs S) perform an important 'unction.

It is an advantage ot the described lined abutments, ar 'anged at spaced points in the length ot the cable, that this prohibits escape of all oit the outer armor sections 'troni the body olf the able in the eventt`iat the terminal abutmentl for said section is in anyT manner torn fr un the cable proper or in case the cable is broken.

Furthermore, when the able is employed as a sorndingl line itis required to wind upon a drum such as i3'. indicated at l() and in eugaging said drum the sectional armor is subjected to a slight tendency to loi'igitudina expansion. which the coiled springs 9 permit.

vWhat I claim is:

l. A cab e comprising a hose, an elongated flexible tension member substantially covering said hose. a tubular armor embracing said tension member ciinnprising groups olf sections seating lengthwise ot the cable upon eah other` and abutments tir-id upon said tension member beneath .Caid groups, each abutment receiving the :ucun'mlated thrust ot the armor sections ol the overlying group and transmitting such thrust to said tension member.

i lable comprising a hose, an elongated tension member substantiall)v covering s: id hose, and a tubular armor embacing said tension member and comprisingr certain sections lined upon said tension member at points suitably spaced lengthwise ot said member, and a plurality of groups of intermediate sections irecly emliracing said tension member and the sections oi each group transmitting their accumulated thrust to one ot said tixed sections.

3. ir cable comprising a hose, an elongated tlexible tension member substantiallbv covering said hose, and a tuoular sectional armor ifreelj; embracing said tension member, and cushioning elements disposed between eertain sections of said armor, and freely abutting sait. sections.

-l-. it cable coimiirising a hose, an elongated ticxible en member substantially covering said bofe, a tubular sectional armor eml racing` said tension member, and interposed l etwoen certain l armor, and iireely abutting `le comprisingan elongated I'iexi member` abanients lixed upon in member at spaced points oi its series ot tubular armor sections Ael)Y einbrrntingl said tension member between said abutments. and a cushioningI member arrafiejed between one of said abutmentl and 'cries olf armor scrtii'insA (S. it.. Aable comprising an elongated Hexible tension mber. abutments i'ixed upon on member' at 'suitablyv spaced said tensi points oif its length. a series oii tubular armor sfctionsV cnilgnacing said "ension member between said timed abutn'ients. and a spring coiled upon said tension member between one ot :aid abutn'ients and said armor sections.

'.7. it cable comiirismggl an elongated flexnieniber a tibular abutment ible ten forming armor section embracing said tension member, means Afor securing .sind .sec-

`ion throiufhoutsulistautially its entire interior area to the tension member7 and a series et armor sections freely.,Y mounted upon the tension member and subjectiiml said abutment section to their end thrust.

tl. A cable cemprisiire an elongated flex ible stranded te ien member, a pluralit)v of ELBERT J. HAYNES. 

